Next up on the docket : 1935 Floral print dress

I just finished the scarf I have been working on for my fella this evening, which means not only that I can cross one more thing off my list, but he will also have another scarf to wear in the kitchen at work now, since the back of the restaurant is absolutely freezing.

I felt bad for him today, all bundled up with a hat and scarf under his chef's coat. This also means I can move onto other things though (and gives me one less excuse to procrastinate on other work as well). I still have that set of short stays to finish, but I have all three layers cut out at least. I plan on starting the assembly process tomorrow. That's my goal at least. I'm getting ready to make out a to-do list for the rest of my long weekend, and that is one of the first things going on it. I always work much better with lists, and haven't made myself one yet this semester (although granted school has only been in session for a week). Once I get that out of the way, though, and before school gets too, too busy (which I fear will happen more quickly than I'd like) I have one more project in the lineup for the cold weather.

I just received a pattern in the mail that I won as part of a giveaway hosted by Marie over at A Sewing Odyssey. I somehow missed the fact that I won the giveaway back in September, but she graciously held onto the prize for me, for which I am very grateful. The pattern is a 1935 McCall's dress pattern sans instruction sheet. The instructions for patterns of this age are generally minimal anyway, so I am taking it on without apprehension. What I really love about this pattern, however, is that it is not only printed, but it is trilingual! I haven't come across many (if any) printed patterns of this date, but much less one printed in English, Spanish, and French. I was very excited. I was looking at the pattern and suddenly had a stroke of genius. I have about three yards of a rayon faille that I hadn't actually assigned a pattern to, and that I thought would be lovely in the long-sleeved version of the dress. Then I thought about the seaming on the shoulders. Afraid that it would get lost in the print, I suddenly realized that problem could be solves, and rather smartly I might add, by the addition of piping. I'm thinking something to match the deep gold in the flowers. We'll see what I can find.

I've got a black belt that I wear with everything that should do the trick for this dress as well, but if not, I can make one that coordinates with the colors in the print. I'll have to see what I think whenever I get it all put together. Piping to match the bow at the neck, with big, shiny black buttons on the bodice and skirt are what I have in mind for the rest of the trim. I don't really have any winter dresses, and I've really been wanting to remedy that issue. I think I've finally found my first really good candidate. 

You can see the colors in the print a bit better in this photo. This is one of the few pieces of fabric I have allowed myself to buy in the last year or so that I didn't have a very specific purpose for. I new I wanted a 1930s or 1940s dress, but I hadn't selected a pattern. I think this is what it was waiting for. I can't wait to get to work on it. I'll need a relaxing sewing break soon I'm sure, but for now it's back to reading for my Pedagogical Linguistics class.